Managing Mental Health

“We form opinions and then spend our entire lifetime validating what we believe to be true. This rigidity is sad, because there is so much we can learn from points of view that are different from our own. It’s also sad because the stubbornness it takes to keep our heart and mind closed to everything other than our own point of view creates a great deal of inner stress.”

- Unknown

This past week was International Mental Illness Awareness week. It’s a time when we reflect on the many different stressors that can affect the healthy functioning of our brain- what can inflict it, how you can manage it, and remembering those who couldn’t. Our brain is a complex part of our body and responsible for how we operate during the day (and night), and the smallest amount of stress that we experience can have the most interesting outcomes.

Take my friend Jayson for example. Without realizing it, he has been stressing about the upcoming week because of the amount of work he has to do. He started organizing his personal space at home until his mom asked him what was bothering him. Although he insisted it was nothing, she told him that ever since he was young, when something bothered him, he would clean his room. When Jayson thought about it, he realized that he found a sense of control over the tasks he had to accomplish once he organized his working atmosphere. His actions mimic that of a metaphor. Once he felt organized, he knew he could move on to bigger projects. 

Now, I understand that this isn’t always the case for everyone. Cleaning our workspace doesn’t necessarily mean our stress is going to be alleviated. It can be much bigger than that. This is why it is important to seek out help and talk to someone about the issues that may be affecting your mental health. Because, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association, “mental illnesses can take many forms, just as physical illnesses do,” and not everyone knows how to handle it.

Mental illness isn’t limited to one age; it can affect anyone. According to a recent article, Senior suicide: The tricky task of treatment, published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), aging adults are one of the hardest generations to diagnose and treat because, “they have often been taught, or conditioned to keep such problems behind closed doors or disinclined to acknowledge depression or a desire to die.” Essentially, it is hard to get them to break out of the “private-realm” they live in so as not to “risk damage” to their reputation or pride.

Recognizing mental health this month may have only lasted for a week, but it is an ongoing illness. You can’t force an aging adult to talk to you, but you can encourage them to seek advice, offer to help them find someone they could speak with, or let them know that you are always ready and willing to listen. It’s a delicate topic, and nobody wants to admit when they are stuck between a rock and a hard place, not knowing how to get out. But sometimes, a helping hand is all you need to make the first few steps to a healthier and happier you.  

#CreativeAging

Image courtesy of Stockvault.net

If you could pick up a pen, what would you draw? If you could dip a brush into a can of paint, what would your canvas display? If you could grab a pile of clay, what would you mold?

Making something from nothing. That’s the idea of being an artist: the ability to create just about anything, from anything. You possess the freedom of expression, and how you choose to display it is up to you. But it’s not the only way to be creative.

Take 51-year-old Andrew Witten for example. Although he may be considered to be at a stereotypical time in his life where he may be “vulnerable” to experiencing a “mid-life crisis,” Witten walks to the beat of a different drum. What kind of beat you may ask? A creative one.

Although he is a single father, reports The Huffington Post’s article, 1970s NY Graffiti Artists Still Have Urge To Tag, he enjoys delving into an “old” pastime of his: graffiti. And although he admits to The Post that he is “chronologically old to be out there doing it,” his passion has always been “spray-painting extravagant graffiti pieces.” Now, resorting to a black marker in hand, he leaves his signature wherever he gets the opportunity to do so.

It’s a little unorthodox, but what it means is that it doesn’t matter how you go about being creative, what matters is that you find a way to do it. Although we aren’t condoning you to run around the city and mark up the walls… seeing as there could be a penalty to face if you were caught; what matter’s is that you find something that you get a thrill for doing.

The days of youth are not behind you, they are merely waiting for you to start expressing yourself creatively again. Whether it’s changing your look, drawing a picture, seeing the world, or writing something, as long as you are engaged, your message will find a way to get through.

If you’re passionate about aging creatively, tweet #creativeaging and tell us how you plan to do it. Follow us here: www.twitter.com/serclab

The Many Facets of Dementia

Image by Seniors Access

Just when you think there isn’t any more left to say on the topic of dementia, you learn something new. Such as: did you know there is such a thing as an overnight dementia “camp”? You may be as baffled as I was at first when reading about it. But it’s true.  Huffington Post’s HuffPost50 reported on The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, where they have a program called ElderServe at Night.

What does this entail you may wonder? It’s a place where aging adults who suffer with dementia can take part in activities, such as arts and crafts, dancing, socializing and more… throughout the night. That’s right, this isn’t a “typical” day-care dementia Centre (although it does offer these services too). It is a program that runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.. It’s for individuals who require constant supervision throughout the night due to fear and confusion that is caused when the sun sets, and it gives caregivers peace of mind that their loved ones are cared for, enabling them to get a restful nights sleep.

Individuals with various types of dementia can have irregular sleep patterns throughout the day, which can cause sudden jolts of alertness at night. The disorientation that occurs in these individuals not only harms their mental capacity to understand what is occurring, but it can cause strain on family caregivers and interruptions to their own sleep cycles.

Like ElderServe at Night, there have been other programs that are unique and cater to individuals who have been affected by dementia, for both the patient and caregiver. Such places, for example, are Alzheimer Cafés becoming more prevalent in society. The concept originates overseas from the Netherlands, took hold across Europe and the United States, and is slowly integrating into Canada. The first of its kind appeared last February in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

These cafés encourage individuals who have Alzheimer’s, or other forms of dementia, to socialize. It’s a space where those who attend, caregiver or patient, can feel comfortable, and where sudden outbursts are accepted due to symptoms of the various types of dementia.

We may not be able to cure dementia, we may only be able to delay its onset, but society certainly understands that we can find ways that help ease the suffering, and find a way to help maintain a person’s dignity.  

To learn more about ElderServe at night, click the video below.